Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce nearing the finish line

The two former Celtics have decisions to make on their futures when their first season with the Brooklyn Nets comes to an end.

Jim Fenton The Enterprise @JFenton_ent

They have appeared in a combined 2,535 regular-season NBA games during Hall-of-Fame careers that began in the 1990s.

As the 2013-14 season winds down, though, there is a question as to how many more games Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will be playing.

Now in their first year together with the Brooklyn Nets after being teammates on the Celtics the past six seasons, the end of their careers is getting closer and closer.

Will Garnett, who turns 38 on May 19, and Pierce, who will be 37 when next season begins, keep on playing or will they walk away after the Nets’ playoff run ends this spring?

There seems to be a better chance that Pierce will continue his career at least one more season while Garnett, who has struggled during his time with the Nets and is dealing with a back injury, may walk away.

Pierce faces his former team for a fourth and final time this season tonight when the Nets host the Celtics at the Barclays Center (TV: 7:35 p.m., radio: WZLX-FM/100.7).

Garnett will miss his 11th straight game due to back spasms that have prevented him from playing since Feb. 27. He also sat out earlier this month when the Nets paid their second visit to the TD Garden.

It has been a bumpy ride for Garnett in Brooklyn after being dealt with Pierce for a package that included three first-round draft picks going to the Celtics.

The Nets struggled early before turning things around in 2014 and they are 25-10 since Jan. 1 for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Garnett is averaging a career-low 6.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 21 minutes per game. He has not been productive at the offensive end, but Garnett remains an effective defensive player.

Just when the Nets were playing their best basketball of the season, Garnett felt discomfort in his back and has not played in three weeks.

He was due to return against the Toronto Raptors last week, but after going through warmups was ruled out of that game. Now, he will be reevaluated on Saturday to update his status going forward.

This season has not been easy for Garnett and it may be enough to push him into retirement.

Garnett was given a one-year extension by the Nets worth $12 million for the 2014-15 season after the trade was made last summer. Leaving that on the table wouldn’t be difficult for someone who has earned an estimated well over $200 million.

Garnett is a proud man and he can’t be happy with how this season has played out for him, even with the Nets moving in the right direction.

As for Pierce, he becomes a free agent on July 1 after making $15.3 million this season.

Retirement is a possibility for Pierce, but it seems more likely that he will keep playing. Pierce is closing in on the 25,000-point mark, something he could reach this season.

It was difficult for Pierce to leave the Celtics after 15 seasons and he has slowly adjusted to life in Brooklyn.

His heart, though, remains in Boston and, during the Nets’ trip to the Garden earlier this month, he was asked about returning to the Celtics some day.

“Yeah, why not?’’ responded Pierce, who is averaging 13.4 points in 61 games. “Maybe play for them, maybe work for them. Who knows what the future holds?’’

The immediate future holds a trip to the Eastern Conference playoffs for the Nets, who are fifth with a 35-31 record.

They could make some noise with all the veterans on the roster, but making a deep run seems unlikely.

When the Nets do conclude their season, it will be interesting to see the next step for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

Jim Fenton may be reached at jfenton@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFenton_ent.

They have appeared in a combined 2,535 regular-season NBA games during Hall-of-Fame careers that began in the 1990s. As the 2013-14 season winds down, though, there is a question as to how many more games Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will be playing.

Now in their first year together with the Brooklyn Nets after being teammates on the Celtics the past six seasons, the end of their careers is getting closer and closer.

Will Garnett, who turns 38 on May 19, and Pierce, who will be 37 when next season begins, keep on playing or will they walk away after the Nets’ playoff run ends this spring?

There seems to be a better chance that Pierce will continue his career at least one more season while Garnett, who has struggled during his time with the Nets and is dealing with a back injury, may walk away.

Pierce faces his former team for a fourth and final time this season tonight when the Nets host the Celtics at the Barclays Center (TV: 7:35 p.m., radio: WZLX-FM/100.7).

Garnett will miss his 11th straight game due to back spasms that have prevented him from playing since Feb. 27. He also sat out earlier this month when the Nets paid their second visit to the TD Garden.

It has been a bumpy ride for Garnett in Brooklyn after being dealt with Pierce for a package that included three first-round draft picks going to the Celtics.

The Nets struggled early before turning things around in 2014 and they are 25-10 since Jan. 1 for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Garnett is averaging a career-low 6.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 21 minutes per game. He has not been productive at the offensive end, but Garnett remains an effective defensive player.

Just when the Nets were playing their best basketball of the season, Garnett felt discomfort in his back and has not played in three weeks.

He was due to return against the Toronto Raptors last week, but after going through warmups was ruled out of that game. Now, he will be reevaluated on Saturday to update his status going forward.

This season has not been easy for Garnett and it may be enough to push him into retirement.

Garnett was given a one-year extension by the Nets worth $12 million for the 2014-15 season after the trade was made last summer. Leaving that on the table wouldn’t be difficult for someone who has earned an estimated well over $200 million.

Garnett is a proud man and he can’t be happy with how this season has played out for him, even with the Nets moving in the right direction.

As for Pierce, he becomes a free agent on July 1 after making $15.3 million this season.

Retirement is a possibility for Pierce, but it seems more likely that he will keep playing. Pierce is closing in on the 25,000-point mark, something he could reach this season.

It was difficult for Pierce to leave the Celtics after 15 seasons and he has slowly adjusted to life in Brooklyn.

His heart, though, remains in Boston and, during the Nets’ trip to the Garden earlier this month, he was asked about returning to the Celtics some day.

“Yeah, why not?’’ responded Pierce, who is averaging 13.4 points in 61 games. “Maybe play for them, maybe work for them. Who knows what the future holds?’’

The immediate future holds a trip to the Eastern Conference playoffs for the Nets, who are fifth with a 35-31 record.

They could make some noise with all the veterans on the roster, but making a deep run seems unlikely.

When the Nets do conclude their season, it will be interesting to see the next step for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

Jim Fenton may be reached at jfenton@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFenton_ent.